Turkey remains on edge days after a faction of the Turkish military launched a coup late Friday aimed at overthrowing the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has since then launched a massive crackdown inside the country that continued into Tuesday.
Erdogan told CNN on Monday that Turkey would formally request the extradition of exiled Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen from the United States. The Turkish government has accused Gulen, a bitter rival of Erdogan’s, of orchestrating Friday’s failed military coup that killed at least 232 people from his home in Pennsylvania.
A U.S. State Department official told Reuters Tuesday that the government had not yet received an extradition request for Gulen.
"We still cannot confirm the physical receipt of an extradition request, we’re in touch with Turkish officials,""the official said. "They have indicated they will hand it over."
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim formally announced the extradition request to Parliament on Tuesday, calling Gulen a "terrorist leader."
Gulen has denied involvement in the coup.
"As someone who suffered under multiple military coups during the past five decades, it is especially insulting to be accused of having any link to such an attempt. I categorically deny such accusations," Gulen said in a statement.
"My position on democracy is really clear. Any attempt to overthrow the country is a betrayal to our unity and is treason," he added.
Erdogan has led the Turkish government to launch a massive effort to root out remnants of the coup attempt since it failed. Turkish authorities have so far detained or fired nearly 18,000 people accused of being linked to the plot, including 9,000 police officers, 6,000 military service members, roughly 3,000 judges, and 30 governors.
Turkey’s crackdown continued Tuesday after the government extended its purge to the education sector. Erdogan demanded the resignation of all public university deans as tens of thousands of teachers face suspension.
While U.S. and European officials are continuing to back Erdogan’s government, top Western leaders have expressed concerns about how extensive the crackdown has become.
Secretary of State John Kerry and the European Union’s top diplomat, Federica Mogherini, called on Turkey on Monday to exercise restraint and respect the rule of law. Kerry stressed that NATO has a requirement "in respect to democracy" and warned that the alliance would "measure" Turkey’s actions.
"Obviously, a lot of people have been arrested and arrested very quickly," Kerry said. "The level of vigilance and scrutiny is obviously going to be significant in the days ahead. Hopefully we can work in a constructive way that prevents a backsliding."
He added that Turkey must "uphold the highest standards for the country’s democratic institutions and the rule of law."
Turkish citizens have worried that the failed military coup will expand Erdogan’s power in the country.
"Erdogan has seized every moment in the past few years to empower himself," Mahir Zeynalov, a journalist with Turkish media outlet Today’s Zaman, told the Telegraph. "The failed coup attempt is a windfall for Erdogan in his bid to further consolidate his power."
Turkish authorities said Tuesday that a massive fire at a residential building in Ankara, the nation’s capital city, is under control after earlier reports credited the billowing smoke to an explosion. Turkey has been the victim of recent terrorist attacks carried out by the Islamic State and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, and the terror threat added to the coup’s aftermath has kept the country on edge, as the potential for violence remains.